First Mennonite Church Hutchinson KS

01/13/2024

From the waters of creation
God compels the earth to rise
Depths recall their own formation
Atoms spread through earth and skies
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Bless the earth by rain baptized

—from the hymn “From the Waters of Creation” by Rev. Anna Strickland |

01/12/2024

"If we are going to trust our belovedness, could we see and receive our baptism as an affirmation from our Heavenly Parent? We should remember that we belong to God. We are God’s handiwork, created in Jesus Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life (Ephesians 2:10). We are created, called, and commissioned at our own baptism, which should fuel our joy to be children of God."

—Rev. Cecelia D. Armstrong (), from her commentary on Luke 3:21-22 |

01/11/2024

"This image offers a snapshot of Jesus right before he steps into his calling, on the threshold of spectacular affirmation. He is completely suspended, embraced, and upheld by the waters of baptism. The water’s surface is choppy. The future is unknown and precarious. His path is a lonely and formidable one, eventually leading to his suffering and death.

Despite what is to come, Jesus reaches toward the surface. Two fish are drawn to the light of his halo, foreshadowing his companionship with fishers and his miraculous feeding of the five thousand. All of creation is leaning into his call.

This is what trusting your belovedness feels like—muscles and bones relieved of gravity’s burden, serenity, weightlessness, oneness with creation, and the warmth of God’s love permeating every cell of your body and every corner of your soul. "

— from the artist statement for "Beloved" by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman |

01/10/2024

Trust your belovedness.
Let it be a protest,
an act of resistance,
a song of celebration.
Trust your belovedness in a world
that is rarely satisfied.
Wear it like a badge of honor.
Speak it as confidently as your last name.
Tattoo it to your heart.

—excerpt from “The Bravest Thing We Can Do” by Rev. Sarah Speed |

01/08/2024

We began our series by acknowledging our weariness and we conclude with trusting our belovedness; ultimately, our joy is rooted in the fact that we belong to God. In the story of Jesus’ baptism, the heavens part open and the voice of God wraps Jesus in joy and loving care. Some translations of Luke 3:22 read, “in you, I find happiness and delight.” Therefore, we can conclude that we are also the source of God’s joy. When we trust our belovedness, we live and give fully—we are compelled to treat all of creation with tenderness and care. When we trust our belovedness, we have endless reasons to rejoice.

01/07/2024

“I must tell you that claiming your own blessedness always leads to a deep desire to bless others. . . . It is remarkable how easy it is to bless others, to speak good things to and about them, to call forth their beauty and truth, when you yourself are in touch with your own blessedness. The blessed one always blesses.”
—Henri Nouwen, from his book, Life of the Beloved

01/07/2024

A prayer for Epiphany:

God of the weary traveler,
our feet are dusty from the roads we’ve traveled
this past week,
this past year,
every day of our lives.
We’ve followed your star here, looking for a glimmer of hope.
And now, after a long journey, we set our baggage down.
We have arrived.
We’re here, and we’re on holy ground.
You may not show up where we expect you,
but we trust that you are here nevertheless.
Be known to us
in the hope of the star,
the peace of a baby snuggled in the manger,
the joy of arrival,
and Love that could not stay away.
We are here. You are here.
And we are so very grateful.
Amen.

—prayer by Rev. Anna Strickland |

01/06/2024

Mark your calendars and plan to attend this fun event for a good cause!

It's time for our annual "A Taste of Hutchinson-The Men Cook" event at the Hutchinson Art Center, Saturday, January 20, 2024, 7pm-8:30pm! Save the date and buy your tickets now!

Please share this Facebook post in as many ways as you can to get the word out about this fun event! Thank you!

01/06/2024

January 21 at First Mennonite! We'll also be celebrating communion together.

Mennonite World Conference has many members, each one different from the others, and yet together the members create a beautiful picture of the body of Christ.
Let's celebrate Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday 2024 together!
https://mwc-cmm.org/en/resources/anabaptist-world-fellowship-sunday-2024

01/06/2024

Oh weary soul return to the place your body knows
Retrace the well-worn pathways deep etched into your bones
Relax your weary muscles from daily stress and struggles
Let muscle memory lead your soul to what it needs

—from the hymn “Oh Weary Soul Return” by Rev. Anna Strickland |

01/05/2024

"Ritual is not always easy. Ritual is not always pleasant. In fact, ritual can be weary. Yet, the result of ritual usually produces something memorable, something relaxing, or something pleasant. If ritual is weary, there must be anticipated joy to follow."

—Rev. Cecelia D. Armstrong (), from her commentary on Luke 2:21-38 |

01/04/2024

"In this image, Simeon bestows his blessing and prophecy with the urgency of a man desperate to say everything that needs to be said before his time runs out. Anna looks off into the distance, as if peering into the future. Her devotion to God over the years has sharpened her gaze; she knows redemption when she sees it.

In the top left, I depicted Jesus’ hand being cradled by the hands of his parents. This tender moment is frozen in time, like a Polaroid photograph placed in a scrapbook. Mary and Joseph treasure their child as they receive the fullness of his calling. I imagine them memorizing each wrinkle and tiny fingernail, treasuring the smallness of a hand that will one day become a strong fist, fighting for justice for the oppressed and liberation for those held captive."

— from the artist statement for "Revelation" by Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity |